A lawyer for Charleston church shooter Dylann Roof says his client is prepared to plead guilty to a slew of federal charges so long as the death penalty is off the table.

On Thursday, a federal judge again delayed the trial for the 21-year-old suspected white supremacist who is accused of killing nine black parishioners at the historic Emanuel AME Church last June.

Assistant US Attorney Jay Richardson told District Judge Richard Gergel that he expects the Justice Department will decide on whether to seek the death penalty in March or April.

Top priority: Attorney for Charleston church shooter Dylann Roof says his client is prepared to plead guilty to a slew of federal charges so long as the death penalty is off the table. Pictured during a hearing on July 16

The 21-year-old suspected white supremacist who is accused of killing nine black parishioners at the historic Emanuel AME Church last June (pictured on June 18)

Defense attorney David Bruck, who represents Roof, said his client is prepared to plead guilty if the DOJ agrees not to seek capital punishment.

He said the defense was not ready for trial until that decision had been made.

Bruck also said he was still reviewing all the evidence in the case as part of the discovery process.

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If Roof pleads guilty, the case would move straight into the penalty phase, with the judge sentencing the gunman to life in prison without parole.

Judge Gergel previously admonished Richardson, telling the prosecutor in December that if the Justice Department decides not to seek death, the money being spent on Roof's death penalty defense 'is wasteful,' reported The State.

In addition to the 33 federal hate crime and firearms charges, Roof faces nine murder charges in state court

In addition to the 33 federal hate-crime and firearms charges, Roof also faces nine murder charges in state court and prosecutors are seeking the death penalty in that case.

That trial is scheduled to get under way in early July.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys are due to report back in federal court in the early spring.

Roof has been at the Charleston County Jail without bail since his arrest in June 2015.